Driving mechanism for material conveyers



Nov. 24. 1953 H. J. RADDATZ ET AL DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MATERIAL CQNVEYERS 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 50, 1949 INVENTORS HERMAN J. RADDATZ DONALD A. RADDATZ ATTORNEYS N 1953 H. J. RADDATZ' ET AL 2,650,263

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MATERIAL CQNVEYERS Filed Sept. 50, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.6

mvs'm'ons HERMAN .1. RADDATZ DONALD A. RADDATZ ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 24, 1953 DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MATERIAL CONVEYERS Herman J. Raddatz and Donald A. Raddatz,

Redwood Falls, Minn.

Application September 30, 1949, Serial No. 118,918

6 Claims. (01. 187-10) This invention relates to a driving mechanism particularly adapted for use with a material elevator.

It is an object or our invention to provide a driving mechanism including a clutch mechanism and adapted to be connected to a. source of constantly driven rotary power, and particularly adapted for use with a material elevator provided with a carriage member to initially raise the carriage a predetermined distance and thereafter automatically lower the carriage to normal position, and including mechanism for disengaging the clutch when the carriage reaches its normal loading position.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a driving mechanism particularly adapted for use with material elevators and having a pair of winding drums with the end portions of a carriage elevating line respectively wound thereon to selectively shift said line in both directions, said mechanism having a constantly driven member adapted to be shifted by automatically actuated mechanism from driving engagement with one winding drum todriving engagement with the other winding drum and thereafter shifted to neutral position, depending upon the position of the material carriage mechanism.

Still more specifically, it is an object to provide a pair of spaced substantially parallel winding drums with the end portions of a carriage elevating line respectively connected therewith for winding thereon, one run of said line being connected with a carriage member and an intermediate portion of said line being provided with an enlarged area to actuate a trip mechanism to automatically reverse the direction of movement of said line and thereby reverse the direction of movement of said carriage, said mechanism being provided with a second trip mechanism, said driving mechanism being responsive for actuation to engagement by the carriage member when in normal loading position to shift said driving mechanism into neutral position.

' These and other objects and advantages of our invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which;

Fig. l is a side elevational view showing my driving mechanism in elevating driving position as assembled in a bale elevator;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 1; V

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the driven member in elevating driving position;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view showing the driven member in carriage return position;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing the driving member in neutral position;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the latch mecha nism for holding the operating lever and driving member in elevating position;

Fig. 7 shows the latch mechanism illustrated in Fig. 6 in bale elevating position; i

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 shows the latch mechanism in released position to permit the operating lever and driving member to shift into reverse or neutral position; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of the foot pedal actuating lever and its relation to the operating lever 0f the driving mechanism.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings and best shown in Fig. l, I provide a driving mechanism for a material elevator, such as the bale elevator illustrated. The bale elevator shown has an adjustable inclined chute l2 supported by the line or cable I3 having one end fixed to the upper portion of the chute and the other end wound on the hand operated winding drum M to permit adjustment of the elevation of the chute. A pair of wheels [5 support the upstanding A-frame I6 and permit easy shifting movement of the elevator. The upper portion of the chute l2 has a pivoted chute extension I! pivotally mounted thereon, and a line-guiding sheave i8 is journaled at the outer free end of said pivoted chute extension and a double lineguiding sheave I9 is journaled on the pivotal axis of said chute. A carriage shifting line 29 is trained about sheaves l8 and H, with the two runs thereof extending down the chute l2 and around a pair of spaced winding drums 2i and 22 respectively mounted at the bottom of said chute l2 and disposed in spaced substantiall parallel relation to each other.

The winding drums 2| and 22 are respectively fixed to rotary shafts 23 and 24, Which are journaled in the lower portion of said chute ii. A pair of spaced driven wheels 25 and 26 are respectively fixed to outwardly extending portions of the shafts 23 and 2:3 in opposed relation one to the other and a shiftable driving wheel 21 is interposed therebetween. The driving wheel 27 is of such a diameter that when it is in driving wheel, and it may also be positioned between said driven wheels 25 and 26 in neutral relation out of driving engagement with both driven wheels. The driving wheel 21 is fixed to a rotary driving shaft 28, which is journaled in a conventional self-aligning bearing mounted in the far side of chute I21. gnrisi jcefri enticna spurge tr rotary lower portion of a lever 29 in slightly spaced rlaftion above the lower extremity thereon The lever 29 is pivoted for swinging movement an a pivot point disposed in spaced relation be'low shaft 28 to permit said shaft 28 to be shifted when the Jever 29 is swung on said pivot point; In the form :illustrated, the .pivetis provided with a red 30 pivotally connected. at Tone end to the lower extremity of lever 29 and connected, atiihe other endito the side of the chute l2. By hsing a rod 30 pivoted at Iboth .ends, themivotpointof the lever 29.is permitted to shift when said lever iis shiftedi An elongated guiding slot is provided in the side of chute l2. to produce positiveaxis positioning means "for drive shaft. 28 and driving wheel 21 and this combines with ,the pivot rod 30 to provide a double fulcrum action. arcuate segment 31' "is hired to the side of the chute I'2nearest the'lever.29 and has a'dogreceiving notch j3'la.. formed therein. A cooperating spring pressed dog 32 is mounted on lever 29 and is adapted to be releasably received in the hbtoh 3111. -A releasing handle 32a is provided to remove the dog from the? notch. .Obviously the driving"mechanism-couldibe operated in the conventional manner of holding the lever '29 in driving positionto engage theidriving wheel'21 againstbne of the driven wheels 25 or 28, and this could obviously be "done by spring pressure joi'niannally appIiedpressure; spring 331s :provided 'to'normally urge said driving wheel 21 .into gen-rent. with -return driven wheel .26. The n wheel- ,26, in the arrangement shown. in 'aceoinpanyingdrawingsfrotates drum 22, the run of line 20 "extendin therefrom being. "conrieted directlyto the carriage toireturn the "same to the bottom of thechutep Thus, in the "term shewn, a latch mechanism must be provided for positivelyholding the'le'ver in elevatirig, driving position to hold driving wheel.'2'|

inie'rigage'merit with el'ev'atingsdrivenwheel'25,

whichis connected "to drum 2| and serves "to -elevate. the carriage,

This: latch mechanism illustrated in Figs; *6,

(7 and '8, and consists in "a transversely idisposed bar 34 "having an elonga'ted 'line r'eceiving slot lforined therethrough. The bar 34hasa'substan- (vertically disposed sha ft element 34a, fixed thereto at the inner,end-theieofgas,bestshown .Iin Fig, .8, and. this upstanding shaft is journaled .for oscillation on :a. substantially vertical axis tinlsuitable strap elements 35 fixed to the upestanding side flange of chute l2. A crank arm 3Abwextends .along the upstanding side of .chute .JZHandhas ad g 34c formedat "substantially t an les 4 theretqand, e t n out rd y xtht i u rsai u s an n c u eid area ui ..s ian al di t ce. t e eb prditc e .re t tdt 1a cooperating aperture 36 provided in the o eratl ne r t 9- ke pri erre iiii t2 ii l sl xv e t '75 has been returned to itsno'rr'nal pesition,"will urge said latch dog into extendedpo sition by permitting retraction thereof by downward shift ing movement of the bar 34. This downward shifting movement is produced by an enlarged portion, such as a knot 38 in the run of the line 20 extending through the aperture in said bar to the winding drum 2 4. Thus when the carriage reaches a predetermined distance from the norinal rest pbsi'ti'ri thereof, the latch bar 34 will be tripped by the knot 38 and the lever 29 released to be shifted by the spring 33 into carriage return pgs ition, as shown in Fig, 4, with driving wheel 21 in driving engagement with t e driven wheel 26. The spring 33 has sufiicient tension thereinto carry the lever 29 and spring pressed dog 32 beyond the notch 3|a while the l e er isinovirrg hut not so much tension that it wil retrieve, against the weight of bucket n, the stationary dog 32 on lever 29 from the notch when positioned therein by link 39 with hook element 39 z. vb M I In b e esh efihq iifiyl i t fi l. 2 int? neutral position in spaced relation to both wheels -25 and 26, a shifting mechanism having 'a 39 connected therewith, said link 'be iri g provided with 'a hook element 39:; on the upper jffifee e'nd thereof for engagement with an intermediate portioiti of the lever 29 and the. lower side thereof by permitting unrestricted shifting movement of the lever toward the upper end of the chute, A trip'iiieinber in the "form of an inverted U-sha'ped ba is pivoteden'anaxisdisposed transversely trchiite 'l 2 "and has a'downwardly extending arm ll to which the link 39 is pivotall'yconnected. -A resilient spring "42'riernia1ly urges said 'U sha'ped tri part0 iii tc upwerdiy shiftedpo sitionto shift 39 i d wardiy 'proj'ected "position to be swungintocarria'ge f sh own n rice; Whenft'he the hormai IeS t "position and item-e, n the 'foroe 6 5e i -xifif fiii i te ie d fl asb .c a

h sl t l h t a i r t e t. r He It 'illlbe seen 'that we ate provid'eda highly eijioient driviiig rl'l pjartic' enyieaattea foruse w thjr n aterial e e torssu as the b'ale V.elevator illustrated I Th s 'niec anisi n permits the, constant 'operationjof ithedriving soi ir and positively holds. the dril i g wheel ne'ut'ra 5o- "sition 'until his desired. to elevate t material 'Cafriage l'l. At-that timegthe'lever, 29'is shifted *fo'rwardly "and held in driving position by the *lat'chmechanismand dog-34c. Upon-the carri age reaching "a predetermined elevation, the latch mechanism 34 is released by engagement "th tlie kno't "38 "enthelineflll to permit the rig 33"t'o shiftthed riving'whel 21'ihtoenith 'f'iv'e'n fwhe'ei its to actuate "the 1 his mechanism "is 'enautomatically shift into neutral position and be retained there until loaded.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts Without departing from the scope of our invention.

What we claim is:

1. A driving mechanism particularly adapted for selectively driving a material carrier in both directions, said mechanism comprising a pair of spaced rotary driven members adapted to selectively drive the carrier in both directions, a shiftable rotary driving member interposed between said spaced driven members and adapted to be driven by a source of constantly driven rotary power, resilient means for urging said driving member into driving engagement with one of said driven members, a latch mechanism for positively holding'said driving member in driving engagement with the other driven member, and releasable means responsive for releasing said latch mechanism to a predetermined length of travel of the conveyor in one direction, thus permitting said resilient means to shift said driving member to reverse the direction of travel of the carrier.

2. A driving mechanism particularly adapted for driving a carrier selectively in both directions, said mechanism comprising a pair of spaced rotary driven members adapted to drive the conveyor selectively in both directions, a shiftable rotary driving member interposed between said spaced driven members and adapted to be driven by a source of constantly driven rotary power, means for selectively engaging said driving member with said driven members, and means responsive to a predetermined positioning of the carrier to shift and hold said driving member in neutral position out of engagement with both or" said driven members.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and said last mentioned means comprising a lever mechanism responsive for actuation to a predetermined positioning of said carrier and cooperatively associated with the means for shifting said driving member to positively hold said driving member in neutral position.

4. A driving mechanism particularly adapted for selectively driving a material carrier in both directions, said mechanism comprising a pair .0

rotary driving member to selectively engage said driven members, resilient means for urging said lever into one position to engage said driving member with one of said driven members, a latch mechanism for positively holding said driving member in driving engagement with the other driven member, releasable means responsive to a predetermined positioning of said carrier to release said latch mechanism and reverse the direction of travel of the carrier, and a second lever mechanism responsive for actuation to a second predetermined positioning of said carrier to shift said driving member into neutral position.

5. A material conveyor comprising guiding means, a carrier mounted for sliding movement in said guiding means, a flexible line connected to said carrier and doubled back upon itself, a pair of Winding drums respectively connected to the ends of said line and adapted to controllably move said line in both directions, a pair of spaced rotary driven members respectively fixed to said drums for turning the same, a shiftable rotary driving member interposed between said driven members and adapted to be driven by a source of constantly driven rotary power, lever means for shifting said rotary driving member, resilient means for urging said driving member into driving engagement with one of said driven members, a latch mechanism for positively locking said driving member in driving engagement with the other driven member and means for releasing said latch mechanism to reverse the direction of travel of said carrier and responsive for actuation to a predetermined positioning of said carrier and said line.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5, and a lever mechanism responsive for actuation to a second predetermined positioning of said carrier and said line to shift said driving member into neutral position out of engagement with both of said driven members.

HERMAN J. RADDATZ. DONALD A. RADDATZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 493,180 Parrish Mar. '7, 1893 528,775 I-Iogue Nov. 6, 1894 874,475 Yost Dec. 2 1, 1907 1,514,817 Anthony Nov. 11, 1924 1,760,158 Martenson et a1. May 27, 1930 

